Latest news with #AI-equipped
Al Jazeera
29-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
North Korea's Kim Jong Un oversees tests of new AI-equipped suicide drones
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has personally supervised his country's testing of new AI-equipped suicide and reconnaissance drones and called for unmanned aircraft and artificial intelligence to be prioritised in military modernisation plans. State-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Thursday that Kim oversaw the testing of 'various kinds of reconnaissance and suicide drones' produced by North Korea's Unmanned Aerial Technology Complex. The new North Korean drones are capable of 'tracking and monitoring different strategic targets and enemy troop activities on the ground and the sea', while the attack drones will 'be used for various tactical attack missions', KCNA said, noting that both drone systems have been equipped with 'new artificial intelligence'. Kim agreed to expand the production capacity of 'unmanned equipment and artificial intelligence' and emphasised the importance of creating a long-term plan for North Korea to promote 'the rapid development' of 'intelligent drones', which is 'the trend of modern warfare'. Pictures from the tests, which took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, were said to show attack drones successfully striking ground targets, including military vehicles. Kim was pictured walking with aides near a newly developed unmanned aerial reconnaissance aircraft, which appeared to be larger than a fighter jet, and was seen boarding an airborne early warning and control (AEW) aircraft, according to pictures released by KCNA. The photos mark the first time such an aircraft was unveiled by the North, which was equipped with a radar dome on the fuselage, similar to the Boeing-manufactured Peace Eye operated by the South Korean air force. North Korea's efforts to create an early warning aircraft were previously reported by analysts who had used commercial satellite imagery to discover Pyongyang was converting a Russian-made Il-76 cargo aircraft into an early-warning role. The London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) said in a report last year that an AEW aircraft would help augment North Korea's existing land-based radar systems, though just one aircraft would not be enough. During his visit to the test site, Kim was also briefed on intelligence-gathering capabilities as well as electronic jamming and attack systems newly developed by the country's electronic warfare group, KCNA said. The government of South Korea and analysts have repeatedly warned about the potential transfer of sensitive Russian military technology to North Korea in return for Kim's provision of thousands of North Korean troops and weapons to support Russia's war with Ukraine. Seoul's military said on Thursday that North Korea has so far this year supplied Russia with an additional 3,000 troops as well as missiles and other ammunition. 'It is estimated that an additional 3,000 troops were sent between January and February as reinforcements,' South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, adding that of the initial 11,000 North Korean soldiers dispatched to Russia in 2024, 4,000 are believed to have been killed or wounded. 'In addition to manpower, North Korea continues to supply missiles, artillery equipment, and ammunition,' according to a report by the JCS. 'So far, it is assessed that North Korea has provided a significant quantity of short-range ballistic missiles [SRBMs], as well as about 220 units of 170mm self-propelled guns and 240mm multiple rocket launchers,' it said. The JCS also warned that 'these numbers could increase depending on the situation on the battlefield'.
Gulf Insider
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Kim Jong Un Unveils Large AI-Equipped Combat Drones
North Korea has unveiled a new batch of new AI-equipped suicide and reconnaissance drones which the country is showcasing as part of military modernization plans. State-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Thursday that leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the testing of 'various kinds of reconnaissance and suicide drones' which have long been in development by North Korea's Unmanned Aerial Technology Complex. One particular unmanned vehicle featured in an official photo set appeared huge in size… KCNA noted that Kim has authorized expanding production of the drone line, and there are reports the program had the assistance of Russia. Kim further at the event unveiled what's considered to be North Korea's first airborne early-warning aircraft. 'The field of unmanned equipment and artificial intelligence should be top-prioritized and developed in modernizing the armed forces,' Kim announced. The new airborne early warning and control aircraft is believed the result of North Korea modifying Russian-supplied aircraft into airborne radar platforms. The plane will complement North Korea's existing ground-based radar systems, allowing better radar detection unhindered by the Korean peninsula's mountainous terrain. As for the recent increasing military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow, Western media reports on Wednesday say that North Korea sent at least 3,000 more soldiers to Russia early this year. Click here to read more Also read: Ukraine Announces First Direct Clashes With North Korean Troops
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Yahoo
Sudiksha Konanki missing: Dominican AG grills key witness Joshua Riibe
The Brief The Dominican Republic's Attorney General personally interrogated Joshua Riibe, the last known person seen with missing Virginia student Sudiksha Konanki. Riibe gave varying accounts of the night Konanki vanished, first claiming they were hit by a wave, then saying he passed out while she was still in the water. Officials confiscated Riibe's passport and called him a "key element" in the case, though he has not been named a suspect or charged. Investigators are using helicopters, drones, dive teams, and K9 units to locate Konanki, as U.S. officials monitor the case. The top prosecutor in the Dominican Republic personally questioned Joshua Riibe Saturday, the last known person seen with missing Virginia college student Sudiksha Konanki, as authorities intensify their investigation into her disappearance. Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso spent hours Saturday interviewing Riibe, 22, of Iowa, in his Punta Cana hotel room, according to his attorneys. The interrogation follows multiple interviews with local police and Loudoun County, Virginia, investigators throughout the past week. Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, was on spring break at the Riu República resort with friends, including Konanki, 20, a University of Pittsburgh student from Loudoun County. She vanished early March 6 after being seen on the beach with Riibe. While Riibe has not been named a suspect or charged with a crime, authorities have labeled him a "key element" in the case. Dominican officials confiscated his passport several days ago when he attempted to check out of the hotel. Riibe's parents, Albert and Tina Riibe, have criticized the treatment of their son, saying he has been subjected to "irregular conditions" and repeated questioning without legal counsel or official translators for days. "He has remained in his hotel room under police surveillance and has been repeatedly taken to the police station since March 6," the family said in a statement through their attorneys. Investigators are scrutinizing conflicting statements Riibe has given about Konanki's disappearance. According to a leaked police transcript obtained by Fox News, Riibe initially claimed they were swept offshore by a strong wave, but he managed to bring Konanki back to land. He said he then last saw her walking away in knee-deep water toward her belongings. In another version, Riibe reportedly said he fell ill and passed out on a beach chair while Konanki was still in the water. Surveillance footage confirms that six of the friends left the beach around 6 a.m., while Riibe returned alone just before 10 a.m. Konanki's friends reported her missing at 4 p.m. that day. Authorities have launched an extensive search effort along the coastline using boats, planes, helicopters, dive teams, K9 units, and AI-equipped drones. Konanki's disappearance comes two months after four European tourists drowned at the same resort. Their bodies were recovered within 48 hours. U.S. authorities, including the State Department, are monitoring the case but have not commented publicly due to privacy concerns. What they're saying Riibe's parents said their son is fully cooperating and deeply dismayed by Konanki's disappearance. "Above all, we wish to contribute to the search efforts," they said Friday. "Joshua is deeply dismayed by her disappearance and has fully cooperated from the very beginning." Authorities are also examining phone records from Konanki and other witnesses. The investigation remains active. The Source FOX News Digital
Express Tribune
15-03-2025
- Express Tribune
Key witness details Sudiksha Konanki's disappearance in Punta Cana
Listen to article A key witness in the disappearance of University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki told Dominican Republic police Wednesday that a strong wave swept her and him away while swimming on a Punta Cana beach early on March 6. Joshua Riibe, 24, a former pool lifeguard from Iowa and a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, underwent a nearly four‐hour interview with police, during which he answered more than 50 questions about the incident, according to a translated transcript obtained by Fox News. Riibe said he met Konanki that night at the RIU Republica resort, where both were spending spring break. 'We were talking in the water when a big wave hit us,' he told investigators. Riibe said the red-flag warning was in effect due to rough surf. 'With the water's pullback, it dragged us further into the sea,' he added. The witness recounted that after the wave, he struggled to pull Konanki ashore. 'I was trying to keep her breathing, which didn't allow me to breathe properly. I swallowed a lot of water and could have lost consciousness,' he said. When they reached land, he said she walked away into knee-deep water to collect her belongings. Riibe, who later admitted falling asleep on a beach chair, claimed he did not see her again after waking up. Surveillance video shows that at approximately 4:15 a.m., Konanki was part of a group of six women and two men approaching the beach. While most of the group returned to the hotel around 6 a.m., Riibe and Konanki were left behind. He later said he encountered her again only briefly before she vanished. Authorities have stressed that there are no criminal suspects in the case and are treating it solely as a missing person investigation. Investigators are reviewing phone data from Konanki's friends and have expanded search efforts on land, air, and sea – reportedly deploying AI-equipped drones to aid in the search. Riibe, described by investigators as a 'key element in the investigation,' has not been named a suspect. However, his parents have voiced concern over his treatment by Dominican authorities. In a statement released through their attorney, they said that despite his willingness to cooperate, he has been held under irregular conditions and interrogated for long hours without official translators or legal counsel. Riibe's lawyer declined to comment on his client's interview, and the witness reportedly refused to answer eight specific questions, including details about his conversations regarding Konanki's disappearance. Konanki, 20, had arrived in Punta Cana on March 3 along with five female friends. Riibe, who arrived on March 1, said that on the way to the beach, Konanki had given him small kisses before the incident. When questioned about his recollection of events, he stated he expected to see her again the following day. The investigation continues as search teams work to locate Konanki, with family members expressing deep sorrow and urging authorities to find her as soon as possible.
